Disappearing stairway



June 23, 1931. F. E. BESSLER 1,311,709

DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 19, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ICQHNK E assume. BY 8%) @W A TTORNEYJ.

June 23, 1931. F. E. BES SLER DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 19, 1929 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. Bess; 5,9.

A TTORNEYJ,

June 23,1931. F. E. BESSLER 1,811,709

Filed Jan. 19, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR. 1 54m 5. amuse. BY M3 A TTORNEYJ'.

June 23, 1931. BESSLER 1,811,709

DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 19. 1929 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR. lam/K E BEsSLEg BY W x /3W A TTORNEY5'.

June 23, 1931. F. E. BESSLER 1,811,709

DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 19, 1929 5 SheetS- Sheet 5 INVENTOR. A WINK E. Bfsslsk.

A TTORNEYJ'.

Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED; STATES PArENr orrmE:

FRANK. E. BESSLER, ,OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNORhTO THE BESSLER DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY,COMPANY,OF AKRON, OHIO, A (JRIPORA T1101? OF. OHIO DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY .A'pplication'flled January 19,",1929. Serial No. 333,551.

- Thisinvention; relates to disappearing stairwayszofrthat type cooperating with aceilingi-opening in a :lowersroom to give access to anupper room.

One purpose of the inivention: is to provide reversible: power means; driving; connections and controls-forthat styleof-stairway of this type which swingsthrough the ceilingopenmg.

Another purpose of: the invention is to provideza control'device forthis type of'stairways which is adapted to be rendered'inoperativeiby means onflthe upper floor to prevent access to said upper floorbylan intruder, burglar,- etc from below.

Another purpose" of" the invention: is to provide in combination with a disappearing stairway giving: access to an; upperfloor,

:switchzmeansoperable by extension of the stairway to a position'of'use for completing an electrical circuit to one onmorelights on the upper; floor and-r for-disconnecting said lights from the circuit when thestairway is retracted; 1

Theforegoing and i other purposescor objects of the invention are: attained" in the Stairways! and I control: "devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. It is to be: understood thatthe invention is-not' limited .to the specific; formsthereiof'describedandshown.

0f the'aocompanying drawings,

"Figure 1; is a perspective view'of'one form of? stairway installation embodying, the: in"

vention shown in its position ofxuse;

Figure 2Yissaperspective view showing the stairway in its-retracted position Figure 3 is-a detail side'elevationof; the motor controliswitch; V

Figure 4' is a detail :plan' of the motor control switch; t

Figure 5 is ,a': wiring: diagram of the electricalconnections;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another form of; stairway installation embodying the invention, shownin it-sposition :ofuse' Figure7 isa perspectiveviewofstill-another form of". stairway embodying the invention'shown-in =its= position otuse; and

: Figure: 18" is ;a:.-perspeetive, view of: a fourth duction gearing being floor ll'adjacent opening 12.

form-of the invention'showing the stairway 10 has access to an upper floor 11 through a ceiling opening 12. A'stairway 13 of'suitable construction is movable through opening 12,

'itbeing slidablymountedlon brackets 14 hinged onto a shaft 15 extending across one endofopening 12 and being pivotally con nected at its upper end to radius arm 16 for controlling movement of the stairway through the opening to'and from the-extended position shown in Figure 1. The radius arm 16 is pivoted'at-17, 17 on the upper fioor 11. The lower end of stairway 13 is provided onits under side-with a panel 18 adaptedto close opening 12 when the: stairway-is retracted as shown in Figure'2; For operating the stairway, shaft 15 has a cable drum 19 thereon on whichis Wound cable 20 connected to the stairway at 21 and shaft 15 is arranged to be driven in either direction by suitable reversible driving means such as a reversible motor 22, driving shaft 15 through reduction gearing indicated at 23, the installationofthe-motor and 're- 7 shown on the upper For starting motor 22, single pole, double throw switches24 and 25 are preferably employed one on'eachfloor-and being double acting-sothat the motor 22'can be started fromeach floor. In order to stop the motor as the stairway moves into its extended or retracted position and-in order to reverse the motor connections as the motor is stopped, a pair of standard reversing switches 26, 26 are utilizedand are arranged to be actuated by the radius, arm 16 as it moves into its respective positions assumed when. the stairway is extended or retracted. To this end, radius arm 16 is provided ,with a lug 16 operable between a pair of arms 27 and 28 mounted in fixed angular relation on apivoted bracket 29 (Figures 3 and 4) which is adapted to actuate the usual tumblers 30 of the rea versing switches 26,26 through the agencyrof rods 29" on the bracket. In order that'th'e motor control shallbe adjustable to stop the motor when the: stairway is completely extended or the panel completely closed, the arms 27 and 28 are provided with set screws 31, the ends of which are engaged by lug 16.

As shown in Fig. 5, the motor 22 is connected through switches 24 and 25 and reversing switches 26, 26 to power lines in such a way that either of switches 24. or 25 may be operated to extend or retract the stairway, the extending and retracting movements being controlled by reversing the motor conncctions as the motor is stopped, both stopping and reversing of the connections being accomplished by radius arm 16 operating switches 26 as saic arm moves into its respective positions.

The motor control circuit is also preferably provided with a cut-out switch 32 on the upper floor. By'this provision, access to the upper floor can be prevented by one (lesirin to he in seclusion or to keep out intruders, burglars, etc, this being accomplished by retracting the stairway and then opening switch 32.

In Figure 6 a quite similar installation is shown with similar parts designated by the same numerals as in Figures 1 to 5, there being two differences in construction to be noted. One is the provision of the extensible and retractible section 35 mounted on the lower end of the stairway 1.3 to permit use of a stairway of this type where the height of the lower room is comparatively greater or the ceiling opening and space for the stairway on the upper floor are small, this extensible section being operable by a drum 35 on shaft 15 and cables so connected to the extensible section and drum as to move the extensible section downwardly as the stairway swings down and to move the extensible section up onto the upper section before the stairway moves through the ceiling opening. T he other difference is that the motor 22 is placed in another location with part of the reduction 2i at the motor and connected to the other part 23* of the reduction at shaft 15 by means of shafting 23. Such arrangement of the drive may often be found necessary under certain conditions to be met in installation.

Figure 7 illustrates another form oi? this type of stairway in which, instead of a cable drum 19 on shaft 15 and cable 20 connect-ed to the stairs, pinions 40 are mounted on shaft 15 and mesh with racks 4:1 on the under side of the stairway. Also the motor 22 is shown in a small wall close-t 42 on the lower floor where it may easily be examined and cared for, reduction gearing Q3 and 23 respectively in the motor closet and connected to shaft 15 being connected by shaft 23 extended in this case downwardly in the wall. of the ljiuilding.

Figure 8 shows a similar installation with the only difference indicated being the use of the extensible section 43 on the lower end of the stairway.

In the operation of all forms of the invention, the stairway is simultaneously extended or retracted by the drum and cable or pinions and racks and swung to and from a substan tiallly horizontal position above the opening with the panel shut and an inclined position extending from the lower floor to the opening with the panel, 01 course, open. And in all forms of the invention, these operations are performed by the motor, controlled manually to start it, and automatically by the stai rway to stop and reverse its connections at each operation of the stairway.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is further illustrated a switch 50 which may be operable by radius arm 16 in a manner similar to switches 26 by arms 51, 51 to establish an electrical circuit (indicated in dotted lines) to alight 52 on. the upper floor when the stairway is extended to the lower floor and to discon ncct the light when the stairway retracted. It will, of course, be noted that this feature may be adapted to any type of disappearing stairway by operating the switch from one of the moving parts.

It will appear from. the foregoing that the invention provides simple, effective means for automatically operating and controlling the operation of Stairways of this type. It will also be apparent that modifications of the invention may be resorteed to without departing from the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A disappearing stairway for use in a ceiling opening between a lower floor and an upper floor, said stairway comprising piv' oted brackets adjacentone end of: the opening, a stair structure slidable on the brackets, driving means including a reversible motor in an electrical circuit for sliding the stair structure on the brackets, a radius rod pivotally connected to the upper end of the stairway and pivotally mounted on the upper floor, a manually operable switch on each floor arranged in said circuit for starting the motor, an automatic switch for stopping the motor and reversing its connections, and means operable by the radius rod to actuate said switch as the stairway moves into its extended and retracted. positions.

2. A disappearing stairway for use in a ceiling opening including a pivotally supported slidable stair structure, means for sliding the stair structure including a reversible motor in an electric circuit, radius arm means for causing the stair structure to piv- 01: about its support as it is slid from a retracted position extending horizontally above the ceiling opening to a position of use extending upwardly at an inclination from the lower floor to the ceiling opening, switch means in the electrical circuit for starting the motor, and switch means in the electric circuit controlled by the radius arm for stopping the motor and reversing its connections as the stairway moves into its retracted position and into its position of use.

3. A disappearing stairway for use in a ceiling opening between a lower and an upper floor, said stairway comprising pivoted brackets adjacent one end of the opening, a stair structure slidable on the brackets, reversible driving means for sliding the stair structure on the brackets, a radius rod pivotally connected to the upper end of the stairway and pivotally mounted on the upper floor, means forstarting the driving means, and means actuated by the radius rod for stopping the driving means and setting it in reverse as the stairway moves into its extended and retracted positions.

4. A disappearingstairway for use in a ceiling opening including a pivotally supported slidable stair structure, means for sliding the stair structure including reversible driving means, radius arm means for causing the stair structure to pivotabout its support as it is slid from a retracted position extending horizontally above the ceiling opening to a position of use extending upwardly at an inclination from the lower floor to the ceiling opening, means for starting the driving means, and means actuated by the radius rod for stopping the driving means and setting it in reverse as the stairway moves into its retracted position and into its position of use.

5. In a disappearing stairway installation comprising a stair structure pivotally and slidably mounted to move through a ceiling opening to a position of use on the lower floor and having a panel on the lower portion for closing the opening when retracted, reversible power means for actuating the'stairway,

and means operable by movement of the stairway for stopping the power means and setting it in reverse when the stairway is moved into its position of use and into its retracted position.

6. In a disappearing stairway installation including a stairway movable in cooperation with a ceiling opening between lower and upper floors, driving means for operating the stairway between its retracted position and its position of use, means on each floor for starting operation of the driving means, and means on one floor for rendering the driving means inoperative from the other floor when desired.

7. In a disappearing stairwayinstallation including a stairway movable in cooperation with a ceiling opening between lower and upper floors, a motor in an electrical circuit foroperating the stairway between its retracted position and its position of use, a switch on each floor for starting operation of the motor, and a cut-out switch on one floor tracted position and its position of use, a

switch on each floor for starting operation of the motor, and a cut-out switch on the upper floor arranged in said circuit for rendering the starting switch inoperative from v the lower floor when desired.

9. A disappearing stairway for cooperating with a ceiling opening between lower and upper rooms of a building, an electric light in the upper room, radius arms pivotally attached to oneend of said stairway, and a toggle switch operable by one of said radius arms upon movement of the stairway to a position of use to establish an electrical circuit to said light and operable by movement of the stairway to its retracted position to disconnect the light from said circuit.

10. A disappearing stairway for cooperating with a ceiling opening between lower and upper rooms of a building, an electric light in one of said rooms, a toggle switch, radius arms pivotally attached between one end of said stairway and said toggle switch, a V bracket pivoted to the switch end of one of said radius'arms and adapted upon movement of the stairway to a position giving access to said room to throw said toggle switch to establish an electrical circuit to said light and operable by movement of the stairway to its retracted position to throw said toggle switch to disconnect the light from said circuit.

' FRANK E. BESSLER. 

